2 Chronicles
Verse 1. Saba. See 3 Kennicott. 10:1. This queen resided in Arabia or Abyssinia. Bible.—Questions. They were not of a trifling nature, as she is commended by Christ. D.
EXPLANATIONS
2 Chronicles 9
Historical chapter commentary
2 Chronicles
Verse 3. House; the royal palace, or rather the temple, which was much more magnificent than any thing in the East.
2 Chronicles
Verse 5. Virtues. Hebrew “words,” or of what regards thee ( Calmet.) and thy exploits. Tirinus.
2 Chronicles
Verse 6. Fame. Hebrew and Septuagint “the fame which I had heard.” Bible.
2 Chronicles
Verse 8. King of the Lord. Hence the style, “By the grace of God, king of England,” and so forth has been adopted. Those deserve the name, who rule according to God’s will. Worthington.—The kings of the Jews were more properly lieutenants of God, as the government was a theocracy. Calmet. 13:8. and so forth
2 Chronicles
Verse 10. Thyine-trees, very odoriferous. Calmet.—Hebrew algumim: 3 Kennicott. almugim, as the letters are frequently transposed in Hebrew D.—Huet thinks these were citron-trees, which did not produce fruit, but were used to make costly tables, and were a species of cedar.
2 Chronicles
Verse 11. Stairs. Hebrew “hands,” ( D.) or banisters, from the palace to the temple. Junius.
2 Chronicles
Verse 12. And many. Hebrew “besides that which she had brought unto the king.” Prot. It is however certain that Solomon made use of many of her presents, and therefore he returned her others in greater profusion, or, as it is expressed, 3 Kennicott. besides what he offered her of himself of his royal bounty. Bible.
2 Chronicles
Verse 13. Gold, each worth 5475l. (Arbuthnot) so that this part of the revenue alone would amount to 3,646,350l. sterling, annually. Bible.
2 Chronicles
Verse 14. Beside. Hebrew “besides that which chapmen and merchants brought.” Prot. The deputies appear to be the tax-gatherers. 3 Kennicott. 10:15. Bible.
2 Chronicles
Verse 16. Pieces. In 3 Kennicott. we read, three pounds.—Wood; or, “in the palace of the forest of Libanus,” (3 Kennicott. 10:17. Calmet.) as it is expressed in the Septuagint Tirinus.
2 Chronicles
Verse 18. Arms. Prot. “stays.” Bible.—Hebrew in 3 Kennicott. seems clearer and more correct. Calmet.
2 Chronicles
Verse 20. Days. We sometimes find the figure, hyperbole, used in Scripture for things unusual. Calmet. 1:16. Worthington.
2 Chronicles
Verse 21. Tharsis. Any distant place was so called. Tirinus.
2 Chronicles
Verse 25. Thousand. In 3 Kennicott. we read, 1400 chariots; and here Hebrew has, “4000 stables, ( Calmet.) or stalls for horses and chariots;” (Prot.) and the Septuagint “4000 mares for the chariots, and 12,000 horsemen.” Bible.—There might be ten horses in each stable. D.
2 Chronicles
Verse 29. Seer. The works of these three are not extant. Menochius.—The fall of Solomon is recorded, 3 Kennicott. 11. Worthington.
2 Chronicles
or, she was breathless.
2 Chronicles
A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 120 talents is about 3.6 metric tons
2 Chronicles
possibly Indian sandalwood, which has nice grain and a pleasant scent and is good for woodworking
2 Chronicles
A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces, so 666 talents is about 20 metric tons
2 Chronicles
A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 600 shekels was about 6 kilograms or about 192 Troy ounces.
2 Chronicles
A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.32 Troy ounces, so 300 shekels was about 3 kilograms or about 96 Troy ounces.